Spelling ge, gi and gy words - the soft g sound

If the hard sound of g (as in gas, go) is followed by e, i or y, we must add u before the vowel.

This letter u acts as a wall and stops the e, i or y from changing g to its soft sound, /j/.

In guitar a silent u forms a wall between g and i.
This means that g can still say its hard sound.

In guy a silent u forms a wall between g and y.
This means that g can still say its hard sound.

gui

gue

gue on the end

guide
guild
guile
guillotine
guilt
disguise

guess
guest
guerilla

fatigue
intrigue
league
plague
rogue
tongue
vague
vogue

Learn the words:

catalogue

or catalog

In British spelling these words always end in gue. In US spelling they can be either gue or just g:

dialogue

epilogue

monologue

synagogue

dialog

epilog

monolog

synagog

Learn the words:

This is the end of the unit on 'Soft g' words.